No, you’re not crazy. At the 2011 New York auto show, Nissan is showing the Leaf NISMO RC—that’s “RC” as in “Racing Challenge.” Obviously, this is no ordinary Leaf with a rear spoiler, but more like a Leaf that whirred over to the NISMO side of Nissan’s design compound after dark—and stayed. Its wheelbase is shorter by 3.9 inches, and a two-door carbon-fiber body with removable front and rear sections was fitted. The sexy new skin is lower by 13.8 inches than the Leaf as we know it. The fenders are filled with 18-inch wheels wrapped in 225/40-18 Bridgestone racing tires, while a double-wishbone suspension leaves just 2.4 inches between the car and the ground versus regular Leaf’s 6.3 inches. The result is a car that weighs only 2058 pounds, according to Nissan—that’s some 40-percent less than the production version.

The NISMO Leaf’s lithium-ion battery pack and 80-kW AC synchronous motor are shared with the production Leaf, but ride amidships now and direct power to the rear wheels instead of the fronts. With a 0-to-62-mph time of 6.9 seconds, it is much, much quicker than the regular Leaf, which, in our testing, needed 10 seconds to get to 60. Top speed is relatively unchanged, at 93 mph, compared to 92 for the real Leaf. But let’s keep things in perspective here: a V-6 Camry could still blow this thing away.

20-Minute Races, or 30-Minute Pit Stops?

Races involving NISMO Leafs would either be short—Nissan projects that the Leaf NISMO RC’s running time is about 20 minutes under racing condition—or have very long pit stops: the battery can be charged up to 80 percent of its full capacity in 30 minutes using a quick-charging port in the rear, instead of the stock Leaf’s location in the nose. And with no blaring exhaust sounds, any Leaf races also would be eerily quiet.

Next up for the NISMO Leaf is a series of planned appearances at various motorsports venues in 2011. Nissan hints that it is somewhat serious about a zero-emission racing series. That would be a great way for Nissan to add some sex appeal to the Leaf, which needs all the sex appeal it can get. Just don’t bother bringing your earplugs.

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